Family of man detained for instigating violence says he is innocent

[ Bengia Ajum ]

ITANAGAR, 17 Nov: The family of Ngwazosa Yobin, a youth leader of Vijaynagar area in Changlang district, has alleged that the government has detained him under the National Security Act (NSA) using false reports.

Yobin was arrested on 12 June this year by the Miao police in connection with a case [u/s 120 {B)/447/427/392/186/506 IPC], on the basis of a written complaint filed by the FD of the Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve in Miao against him.

He got bail on 30 August, but was detained under the NSA on the same day.

“This detention is based on a false report. The primary allegation is that he led a meeting at Gandhigram on 4 June, 2023 and instigated people to destroy infrastructure belonging to the forest department at 40th Miles, Miao-Vijaynagar road, on 5 June, 2023. But he was not in Gandhigram on the day and was with me in Miao. Moreover, he had not been to Gandhigram since 5 January. But the administration and the police, and even some people from our own area, made fallacious grounds to lock him up,” claimed Ngwazah.

He said that he has written twice for the release of his brother. “First time in September they rejected my appeal, and again on 1 November, I submitted one more appeal for his release,” Ngwazah added.

In an order dated 30 August, the Changlang DC had mentioned that Ngwazosa Yobin was detained under Section 3 (2) of the NSA, 1980 for reportedly inciting hatred, enmity, and dissatisfaction against the state, as well as the government of India.

“Superintendent of Police, Changlang District, Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh vide letter No CAPP/CR-63/21 Dtd 29/08/2023 submitted a proposal for detention of Ngwazosa Yobin alias Ngwazasa Ngwazah, under NSA. It has been reported that under his leadership, a meeting was held at Gandhigram village on 04/06/2023, wherein he instigated members of his tribe to vandalise the government properties located at 40th Miles under Namdapha National Park, claiming it as their ancestral land.

“Consequently, a group of around 100-140 men and women had burned down several establishments of Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve, ie, OBT protection camp, open hall kitchen, check gates, watch towers located at 40th Miles, Miao-Vijaynagar Road on 05/06/2023,” the order read.

It is also alleged that Ngwazosa Yobin intimidated the state government and the authority of the national park on various occasions over boundary demarcation of the national park, claiming that the area of the Namdapha National Park was their ancestral land, and that he threatened to carry out similar activities against the establishment of any government facilities within the Namdapha National Park.

Talking to this daily, Changlang DC Sunny K Singh informed that Ngwazosa Yobin was booked under the NSA based on inputs given by all sections of society.

 “Apart from the input from SP Changlang, we also received reports from the EAC, the ADC, the Yobin Welfare Society, the forest department, and Yobin GBs. We have collected reports and opinions from all of them. Everyone gave the opinion that his activities are detrimental to peace and tranquility of the area,” Singh said.

This is not the first time that Ngwazosa Yobin has been booked. Earlier, he had been detained for nine months for his alleged role in the violence that had rocked Vijaynagar in 2020. He had been released on 28 January, 2022.